Building structures



April 12, 1960 L. G. DOTSON 2,932,488

BUILDING STRUCTURES Filed June 4. 1957 Q Fag. 5 23 Fig. 6

. INVENTOR Leighton G. Dotson F198 ATTORNEY BUILDING STRUCTURES Leighton G. Dotson, Dallas, Tex.

Application June 4, 1957, Serial No. 663,432

12 Claims. (Cl. 256-21) This invention relates to building structures and more particularly to balustrades.

An object of this invention is to provide a balustrade which is composed of elements which may be prefabricated at one location and are easily assembled into the balustrade at the site of installation.

Still another object is to provide a balustrade having a handrail and a plurality of pickets secured to the underside of the handrail.

A further object is to provide a balustrade, of the type described, wherein the pickets are detachably secured to the handrail and the means of attachment are hidden from view.

A still further object is to provide a balustrade, of the type described, wherein the handrail includes a bottom section having lateral spaced dependent flange means between which the upper end of a picket is disposed and held against lateral or pivotal displacement by the flange means, whereby a single fastening means, such as a bolt, may be employed to secure a picket to the handrail.

Another object of the invention is to provide a balustrade, of the type described, wherein a top cover is slidably mounted on the bottom section of the handrail to hide the fastening means.

Still another object is to provide a handrail having pickets of flat strap iron bendable along the upper portions thereof to form angularly extending arms for abutting the bottom of the handrail.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of balustrades constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of a balustrade;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the balustrade shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective fragmentaryview of a modified form of balustrade;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the balustrade shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a picket used in the balustrades;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the picket shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of picket; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the picket shown in Figure 7.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the balustrade 16* includes a handrail 13 having an elongate bottom section 11 of substantially channel shape and an elongate top section or cover 12 slidably mounted on the bottom section. The bottom handrail section includes a pair of vertical parallel side walls 14 and 15 which extend perpendicularly upwardly from a web 16. The middle portion 17 of the web 16 is disposed atent ice above the lower edges of the side walls 14 and 15 to form an elongate downwardly opening recess 18 having parallel vertical side shoulders 19 and 20.

The angularly extending arms or tabs 22 of a picket 23 are adapted to lie within the elongate recess 18 of the bottom handrail section, the side edges of the tabs 22 extending flanges 30 and 31, respectively. The top hand-- rail section or cover 12 has a convexly arcuate middle section 32 and a pair of side portions 33 and 34 which are adapted to engage and abut the upper sides of flanges 30 and 31 of the bottom handrail. Recurved lower retaining flanges 35 and 36 integral with the side portions 33 and 34, abut the lower sides of the bottom handrail flanges 30 and 31, respectively. It will be seen that the side portions 33 and 34 and the flanges 35 and 36 form inwardly opening elongate grooves or recesses 37 and 38, respectively, for receiving the flanges 30 and 31 of the bottom handrail sect-ion 11, whereby the top handrail section may be slid over the bottomhandrail section 11 and be retained thereon.

Any suitable lower rail member may be utilized to complete the balustrade.

It will be apparent that the balustrade 10 may be easily assembled at the site of installation by first positioning the tabs 22 of the pickets 23 in the elongate recess 18, inserting the screws 25 through the aligned apertures 27 and 28 of the tabs and the bottom handrail section, screwing the nuts 26 on the threaded shanks of the screws which now protrude above the web 16, and sliding the top or cover section 12 over the lateral flanges 30 and 31.

of the bottom handrail section.

It will also be apparent that the balustrade will have an ormnamental and pleasing appearance, for the tabs 22 and the screws 25 are hidden from view in the elongate recess 18 of the bottom handrail section while the top or cover handrail section hides the nuts 26 and the upper ends of the screws from view. The top handrail section also serves to protect the interior of the bottom rail section 11 and the screws 25 from exposure to rain and the' elements, thus prolonging the useful life of the balustrade.

It will further be apparent that the balustrade may be formed of prefabricated sections of top and bottom handrail sections which may be cut to proper length at the site of installation and to this end the bottom handrail section may be provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 28, whereby a plurality of pickets may be connected to the bottom handrail section.

For ease of transportation and storage, the prefabricated pickets 23 are formed as straight straps provided with the apertures 27 at one end thereof. The arms or tabs 22 are formed at the site of installation by bending the tab portions angularly from the main section of the picket. To facilitate formation of the tabs 22, the pickets may be provided with a transverse groove or recess 40, as shown in picket 23a, Figures 5 and 6, which form transverse lines of weakness and also assure uniformity of length of the tabs and the pickets. The formation of the tabs may also be facilitated by the provision of an aperture 50, as shown in picket 23b, Figures 7 and 8, which also forms a line of weakness at the desired locaof length of the main portion of the pickets.

It will thus be seen that a new and improved balustrade has been illustrated and described which has pickets 23 provided with angularly extending tabs which are adapted to be received in a downwardly opening recess of a bottom hand rail section and which also has a top or cover which slides over the bottom handrail section. It will also be seen that the balustrade 10 may be formed of prefabricated elements which are easily assembled at the site of installation by a single operator using a minimum number of simple hand tools.

In Figures 3 and 4 is illustrated a modified balustrade 60 having a bottom handrail section 61 of substantially inverted channel shape having a web 62 from which depend laterally spaced parallel vertical flanges 63 and 64 having inwardly facing faces or side shoulders 63a and 6411, respectively. The channel shape of the bottom handrail section, of course, provides a downwardly opening recess therein. A pair of opposed laterally outwardly extending flanges-65 and 66 lying in the same plane as the web 62 extend outwardly of the side flanges 63 and 64, respectively, and are received in the inwardly opening elongate grooves 37 and 38 of the top or cover handrail section 12 which is slidable therein. The convex or arcuate middle portion 32 of the top or cover handrail section is disposed above the web 62 so that the top is not engagedby the screws 25 which fasten the tabs 22 of the pickets 23 to the bottom handrail section and which protrude above the upper surface of the web 62.

It will be seen that in the balustrade 60, as in the balustrade 10, the tabs 22 of the pickets are concealed from view by the side flanges 63 and 64, and that the top or cover section 12 conceals the nuts 26 and the upper ends of the screws 25. It will also be seen that the balustrade 60 may also be easily assembled at the site of installation from prefabricated elements by a single operator using a minimum of tools, ordinarily only'a screw driver and a hack saw.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the constructions illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

' l. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate longitudinally continuous downwardly opening recess, and a picket having a main body portion having at its upper end an angularly extending tab disposed in said recess; said recess being defined by inwardly facing side shoulders; said tab being engageable by said side shoulders to prevent lateral displacement of the tab relative to the bottom handrail section; said side shoulders of said recess extending downwardly below and covering the angularly extending tab of the picket member to conceal the same from view; said tab and body portion of said picket having a weakened section at the juncture of the tab and body portion to facilitate flexing of said tab with respect to said bodyportion.

2. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate, longitudinally continuous downwardly opening recess; a picket having a main body portion having at its upper end an angularly extending tab disposed in said recess; said recess being defined by inwardly facing side shoulders; said tab being engaged by said side shoulders to prevent lateral displacement of the tab relative to the bottom handrail section; said side shoulders of said recess extending downwardly below and covering the angularly extending tab of the picket member to conceal the same from view; and means extending through the tab and said bottom handrail section to secure the picket to the bottom handrail section; said tab and said body portion of said picket having a weakened section at the line of juncture of the tab and body portion to facilitate flexing of said tab with respect to said body portion.

3. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate longitudinally continuous downwardly opening recess; a picket having a main body portion having at its upper end an angularly extending tab disposed in said recess; said recess being defined by inwardly facing side shoulders; said tab being engageable by said side shoulders to prevent lateral displacement of the tab relative to the bottom handrail section; said side shoulders of said recess extending downwardly below the tab to conceal the same from view; means extending through the tab and said bottom handrail section to secure the picket to the bottom handrail section; said bottom handrail section having outwardly and oppositely extending side flanges; and a top handrail section having a pair of laterally spaced oppositely facing longitudinal inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail section being substantially U-shaped in configuration; said top rail section having a medial portion curving upwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of the opposed U-shaped recesses to provide a space between said central portion of said top handrail section and said bottom handrail section.

4. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate web provided with a longitudinally continuous downwardly facing recess; said downwardly facing recess being defined by opposed inwardly facing shoulders extending below the web portion defining the upper transverse portion of said recess; a pair of spaced side walls extending upwardly from the lateral edges of the web and extending continuously longitudinally of said lateral edges of said web in parallel relationship; said side walls each being provided with an outwardly extending side flange at the upper end thereof; and a top handrail section having a pair of opposed longitudinally extending inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail section being substantially U-shaped in cross-section and the central portion of the top handrail section between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U-shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section.

5. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate web provided with a longitudinally continuous downwardly facing recess; said downwardly facing recess being defined by opposed inwardly facing shoulders extending below the Web portion defining the upper transverse portion of said recess; a pair of spaced side walls etxending upwardly from the lateral edges of the web and extending continuously longitudinally of said lateral edges of said web in parallel relationship; said side walls each being provided with a laterally outwardly extending side flange at the upper end thereof; a top handrail section having a pair of opposed longitudinally extending inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail section being substantially U-shaped in cross section and the central portion of the top handrail between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U-shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section; and a picket having an angularly extending tab disposed in said downwardly facing recess of said web of said bottom handrail section, said downwardly extending shoulders defining said recess concealing said tab from view.

6. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate web provided with a longitudinally continuous downwardly facing recess; said downwardly facing recess being defined by opposed inwardly facing shoulders extending below the web portion defining the upper transverse portion of said recess; a pair of spaced side walls extending upwardly from the lateral edges of the web and extending continuously longitudinally of said lateral edges of said web in parallel relationship; said side walls each being provided with a laterally outwardly extending side flange at the upper end thereof; a top handrail section having a pair of opposed longitudinally extending inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top hand-rail section being substantially U-sliaped in cross section and the central portion of the top handrail between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U-shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section; a picket having an angularly extending tab disposed in said downwardly facing recess; and means extending through the tab of said web to secure the picket to the bottom handrail section; said downwardly extending shoulders of said web of said bottom handrail section also concealing said means securing said picket to said bottom handrail section from view laterally, and said central arcuate portion of said top handrail section covering the upper portion of said securing means from View.

7. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate web, a pair of spaced vertical flanges dependent from said web, said flanges providing inwardly facing depending shoulders defining a longitudinally continuous elongate recess on the under side of said web, said bottom handrail section also having opposed laterally and outwardly extending side flanges disposed in the same plane as said web; and a top handrail section having a pair of opposed inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail being substantially U-shaped in cross section and the central portion of the top handrail between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U- shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section.

8. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate web, a pair of spaced vertical flanges dependent from said web, said flanges providing inwardly facing depending shoulders defining a longitudinally continuous elongate recess on the under side of said web, said bottom handrail section also having laterally and outwardly extending side flanges disposed in the same plane as said web; a top handrail section having a pair of inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail being substantially U-shaped in cross section and the central portion of the top handrail between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U-shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section; whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; and a picket having a main body portion having at its upper end an angularly extending tab disposed between said vertical flanges and abutting said web; said depending flanges also concealing said picket tab from view laterally of said bottom handrail.

9. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section having an elongate web, a pair of spaced vertical flanges dependent from said web, said flanges providing inwardly facing depending shoulders defining a longitudinally continuous elongate recess on the under side of said web, said bottom handrail section also having laterally and outwardly extending side flanges disposed in the same plane as said web; a top handrail section having a pair of inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail being substantially U-shaped in cross section and the central portion of the top handrail between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U-shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section; and a picket having an angularly extending tab disposed between said vertical flanges and abutting said web, and means extending through the tab and the web to secure the picket to the bottom handrail section; said downwardly extending shoulders of said web of said bottom handrail section also concealing said means securing said picket to said bottom handrail section from view laterally, and said central arcuate portion of said top handrail section covering the upper portion of said securing means from view.

10. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section in the form of an elongate channel member having a pair of longitudinally extending upstanding flange members laterally spaced apart and having a horizontal web portion provided with an elongate longitudinally continuous downwardly opening recess, said recess being defined by inwardly facing longitudinally extending continuous side shoulders; and a picket having a main body portion having at its upper end an angularly extending tab disposed in said recess; said side shoulders extending downwardly below and covering the angularly extending tab of the picket to conceal the same from view, said tab being engageable with said side shoulders to prevent lateral displacement of the tab relative to the bottom handrail section; said main body portion and tab of said picket having a weakened section at the line of juncture of the angularly extending tab and said main body portion to facilitate bending movement of the tab with respect to the main body portion at such line of juncture.

11. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section in the form of an elongate channel member having a pair of longitudinally extending upstanding flange members laterally spaced apart and having a horizontal web portion provided with an elongate longitudinally continuous downwardly opening recess; a laterally extending longitudinal flange at the upper outer side of each upstanding flange member; and a top handrail section having a pair of opposed longitudinally extending inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail section being substantially U-shaped in cross section and the central portion of the top handrail section between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U-shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section.v

12. A balustrade including: a bottom handrail section in the form of an elongate channel member having a pair of longitudinally extending upstanding flange members laterally spaced apart and having a horizontal web portion provided with an elongate longitudinally continuous downwardly opening recesss, said recess being defined by inwardly facing longitudinally extending continuous side shoulders; at laterally extending longitudinal flange at the upper outer side of each upstanding flange member; a top handrail section having a pair of opposed longitudinally extending inwardly opening recesses for slidably receiving said side flanges, whereby the top handrail section may be removably secured to said bottom handrail section; said opposed inwardly opening recesses of said top handrail section being substantially U-shaped in cross section and the central portion of the top handrail section between said U-shaped sections extending inwardly from the inner ends of the upper arms of said opposed U- shaped recesses and curving arcuately upwardly and inwardly transversely of said top handrail section to overlie in upwardly spaced relation the web of the bottom handrail section; and a picket having a main body portion having at its upper end an angularly extending tab 10 spect to the main body portion at such line of juncture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 2,590,929 Bush Apr. 1, 1952 2,655,345 Lindman Oct. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 293,070 Great Britain July 2, 1928 

